Optimization of the rectangular storage tanks for the sloshing phenomena based on the entropy generation minimization

Abstract

The maneuver-induced liquid cargo motion in the partly-filled tanks called, sloshing poses a serious threat to the stability and controllability of this phenomenon. The entropy generation in the sloshing phenomenon is obtained for the first time in the rectangular storage tank. In this paper, a numerical model is developed to simulate the sloshing phenomenon by using coupled RANS solver and VOF method. The RANS equations are discretized and solved using the staggered grid finite difference and SMAC methods. The entropy generation distribution provides designers with useful information about the causes of the energy losses. As an objective, the total entropy generation is introduced as a design criterion parameter for rectangular storage tanks and is compared with the tank perimeter (TP) criterion. In order to do this, the horizontal periodic sway motions with different amplitudes, angular frequencies, and aspect ratios (AR) are applied to the rectangular storage tanks. The results show that the optimal AR is about 2.9 for TP criterion and is about 3.2 for the entropy generation criterion.